Improvement in balmorals or laced boots



L. B. STOCKB'RIDGE.

Improvement in Balmorals or Laced Boots. No. 114,724".

Patented May 9,187l.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LYMAN R; STOOKBRIDGE, OF HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELFAND WILLIAM W. S. ORBETON, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN BALMORALS OR LACED BOOTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 114,724, dated May 9,1871.

Be it known that I, LYMANR. STOGKBRIDGE,

of Haverhill, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Balmoral or'Laced Boots 3 and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, referenoebein g had to the accompanyin gdrawings, making a part thereof.

Of such drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a laced hoot made inaccordance with my principle or invention. Fig. 2 is a view of the vampor front developed on a plane surface, or as it appears when out from asheet or piece of leather. Fig. 3 is a view of the quarters or rearportion as developed on a plane surface. Fig. 4 is a side view of alaced boot of the ordinary construction.

The nature of my invention consists in a peculiar cut or formation ofthe vamp and quarters of a laced boot, whereby I am enabled to give tothe rear portion of the boot a curvature corresponding to the naturalcontour of a persons heel and the part or parts of the leg next adjacentthereto, and this without having any seam running up the back part ofthe heel of the boot, in the usual manner.

In carrying out my invention I cut the vamp and the quarters of twopieces of leather.

In the said drawings, A denotes the vamp, and B the piece constitutingthe quarters of the boot. 0 is the heel, and D the sole, of the boot.

The object of my invention is to produce a boot or balmoral with as fewseams as possible, and at the same time retain its integrity of form andpresent a neat and graceful appearance.

It is a fact well known to those skilled in the art to which myinvention appertains that many attempts have been made to produce agood-fitting balmoral or laced boot with its quarters cut from one pieceof leather, so as to avoid having a seam running up the rear part of theboot.

It is also equally well known that, although they have accomplished thelatter, they have invariably sacrificed the shape in attaining suchresult.

By my peculiar mode of cutting the quarters of the boot-that is, with anopening, at, extending back into each quarter and beyond the joint ofthe ankle or the point at which the ankle-joint would come when placedwithin the boot, the same being shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and cutting therear part of the vamp or front of the boot with long extensions ortongues 11 b, to correspond with and fill the openings a (6-1 am enabledto produce a boot without any heel-seam, and having the gracefuloutlinedesired.

The two parts A and B are to be united together, in the usual manner, bysewing, which may be done either by hand or with a sewingmachine. Theother portions of the boot or balmoral are to be constructed in theordinary manner.

I would remark that in case the leather should not be large enough toform the quarters in one piece two pieces may be used, the line ofjunction under such circumstances being shown in red lines in Fig. 3. I

I do not claim, broadly, making a balmoral boot or shoe without anyheel-seam running up the back of the same, as I am aware that such isnot new; nor do I claim the invention as shown in Letters Patent No.52,732, in which the upper requires to be crimped in order to give thedesired shape to the heel portion, as by my peculiar cut or formation ofthe parts the crimping of any portion of the upper becomes entirelyunnecessary.

WVhat I do claim as my invention is-- My improved balmoral or lacedboot, having its upper or parts A and B formed and applied togethersubstantially in manner as described and represented, the said part Abeing formed with extensions or tongues b b, to extend back of theankle-point of the boot, and into corresponding openings to a, made inthe part B, as and for the purpose set forth.

WM. TAGGART, M. E. SPLAINE.

